A very intelligent canine. I've gone to court more than Michelle Bachmann, Harriet Miers, and most US Law School professors ever have. I am ghost written by my human companion. I actually live in the Second largest English speaking city at the time of the War for American Independence. These are my opinions and I don't care if you read this. I don't really want to hear from you--unless you agree with me or can offer intelligent and constructive comments. And I refuse to sell out (no ads here).

28 October 2009

British Guns

I see a lot of drivel spouted by US Gun cretins. The first being "gun rights".

There have never been Gun Rights in British Common law.

After that is the inflated "gun crime" statistic. You can find the actual UK gun crime statistics here. Note that imitation, airguns, and replica arms account for a majority of gun incidents (12569 imitation, airguns, and replica v. 4774 handgun and shotgun out of a total 17343 for 2007/08). Additionally, total "firearms" offences have been declining, rather than increasing: Source.

The British Gun Control Network has a list of Gun Incidents, which they admit is only around 10% of the figure, but they give an idea of what "gun crime" in the UK is like. You should also remember that The Gun Cotrol Network's objectives are "predicated on the belief that the interests of public safety demand a reduction in the availability and attractiveness of guns of all kinds".

You will note that the "gun" incidents listed by the Gun Control Network include: blank firing guns, replica firearms, airguns, stun guns, paintball guns, and even toy guns! That vastly stacks the deck when it comes to "gun crime". Some samples:

Cumberland News, 23 October 2009

William Musson went into the emergency department of a hospital in Whitehaven, Cumbria, and told the doctor he had a gun. It turned out to be a toy gun and he wanted to be sectioned as he had nowhere to live and no money. He admitted a public order offence of threatening behaviour and was conditionally discharged for six months.Think of what would happen in the US if someone brought a toy gun and started threatening people! Anyway...

Northwich Guardian, 26 October 2009

Police found cannabis plants and a stun gun when they raided the house of James Wilkinson in Wincham, Cheshire. He admitted charges of cultivation and possession of cannabis and possession of an offensive weapon. He was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for a year.

Oxford Mail, 23 October 2009

Joseph Byrne, 19, has been banned from going out at weekends after he drunkenly brandished a Taser stun gun at two men in Oxford in August 2009. He had found the device on the ground earlier in the evening.

The most interesting bit of information comes from the Evening Standard, 19 October 2009

Of 985 guns seized by the police in London this year 217 were "live-firing" weapons (136 handguns, 72 shotguns, 9 sub-machine guns) and the majority are believed to be BB guns, replicas or other "non-live firing" guns.

Likewise, Police in Strathclyde, Scotland have reported that of the 1,529 reported firearms incidents between January and June 2008, 85% of the guns recovered were airguns, BB guns or replicas. In total 107 of the weapons have been seized by the Armed Response Vehicle officers and more than 100 by officers on routine patrol. The weapons were mainly being carried by young men in their teens.

The Scottish Government has launched a hard hitting campaign involving washroom ads, on-line gaming ads, internet virals, posters, leaflets, and a dedicated website to warn the population about the dangers and consequences of using air and replica guns. The adverts spell out the punishments, a fine or jail sentence, and highlight the potential consequences such as injuring or killing a person or animal or being challenged by a police armed response unit. Gun Control Network, along with other organisations including the Scottish SPCA and Scottish Target Shooting, has given its support to the campaign.

From 1 October 2007 restrictions have been placed on the purchase of air weapons and, with certain exceptions, it is illegal to sell, import or manufacture realistic imitation firearms (e.g., airsoft guns).

To be quite honest, the UK does not have the tolerance for gun crime that the US does. I wish this would change, but I do not have any hope that this will happen.

So, next time you mention how "gun crime is out of control in the UK" remember that this figure is far more encompassing than US gun crime. I mean think of what the gun ownership would be like if they added toy guns to the amount of REAL guns in circulation in the US!